In a few hours, the official launch party of Iverson ’96 was taking place in Hollywood, celebrating the Hall of Famer’s new marijuana business venture with Viola, a 10-year-old company founded by 16-year NBA veteran Al Harrington.
He sat six feet away, wearing shades inside, which felt appropriately fly for the coolest human of my childhood and a bit unnecessary given his age.
And Allen Iverson, one of the greatest basketball players of all time, stared at Harrington in awe, hanging on to every word, as he spoke calmly and confidently about their working relationship.
He is a true cannabis evangelist — and he’s still thrilled that he found another calling, beyond basketball.
“His blueprint meant everything to me,” Iverson said about his business partner and mentor.
There’s a thing that people do — especially men of power and influence — when they’re in a room, presenting themselves to others: The less they know, the more they pretend they are experts.
The one where he hit the stage with tears already in his eyes and proceeded to use his time to thank the entire village that became part of his story.
Not only was Iverson — dressed in a throwback yellow Kobe jersey — there to honor his friend, peer and on-court nemesis, he was grateful to be in the presence of others who loved him, hard.
These tenets — community, connection — are the same ones that Harrington talks about when he explains how he landed in the world of cannabis.
“There’s something about cannabis that just brings connectivity.
Each time my friend would leave, I’d go back upstairs, completely cleansed and recharged, feeling sad that it was over but fortunate for what we had.
I remember how Iverson was vilified even as I knew what he represented: a culture that we knew to be good, one that many went to great lengths to stop.
“Just the thought of my name and cannabis,” Iverson said, aware that there will still be some people who label him negatively.
Harrington has had 14 surgeries, a knee replacement, bad hips and other real aches and pains.
What powers Harrington’s business is changing perception, moving with purpose and empowering people of color, especially Black people.
Harrington does have a vision, both for Iverson and the company that he named after his grandmother Viola, whom he convinced to use marijuana to help with her glaucoma.
“I’ve been raided in Michigan, literally had my bank account frozen.
On the packaging of Iverson ’96, it says, “premium flower with purpose.” He’s walking the talk, in a very real way, for the culture that he’s a part of.
I could have made a strain for him that was a sativa, but Black people like gas.
Iverson turned to Harrington and, briefly, they looked at each other.
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